calligraphy
Americannoun
-
fancy penmanship, especially highly decorative handwriting, as with a great many flourishes.
She appreciated the calligraphy of the 18th century.
-
handwriting; penmanship.
-
the art of writing beautifully.
He studied calligraphy when he was a young man.
-
a script, usually cursive, although sometimes angular, produced chiefly by brush, especially Chinese, Japanese, or Arabic writing of high aesthetic value.
-
Fine Arts. line or a group of lines either derived from or resembling letter forms and characterized by qualities usually associated with cursive writing, especially that produced with a brush or pen.
noun
Other Word Forms
- calligrapher noun
- calligraphic adjective
- calligraphical adjective
- calligraphically adverb
- calligraphist noun
Etymology
Origin of calligraphy
First recorded in 1605–15, calligraphy is from the Greek word kalligraphía beautiful writing. See calli-, -graphy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Even Marcus Smith's personalised boots – featuring Quins' diamonds in the colours of England and the Philippines, Baybayin calligraphy and Jasmine blossom – couldn't distract from his team's troubles.
From BBC
Elders get their hearing checked and play mahjongg and practice calligraphy in the shade of empty plazas.
From Los Angeles Times
Around me: Jamaican steel drums, an electrified sitar, Mexican women selling churros, Chinese immigrants painting tourists’ names in calligraphy.
From Los Angeles Times
“Can you believe it? Ella St. Clay’s real handwriting. It’s nothing like my handwriting, which is messy. But I’m working on my calligraphy. Anyway, one thing is for sure. It’s a special book.”
From Literature
Classes included economics and English, as well as meditation, calligraphy and kendo, a martial art.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
